Is Our Children Learning?

As a report that has not yet been made public will show within the next week, I was a failure at my job again last year. The students at Public High School have fallen another couple of points on the Social Studies portion of their state testing and it was my job to raise the scores. This hits in the same week when I tested my students for the first time this school year and a good 80 percent or more of them failed my test. A test where I gave them a study guide listing what they needed to know a week before the test. A test where I played a version of Jeopardy with them the day before the test basically rewording every question they needed to know the next day.

And these numbers include my two Advanced Placement classes. Kids who are supposed to be the best and brightest our school has to offer and preparing themselves for college. I asked one class after I handed back the stack of 30 and 40 percent papers who had studied the night before the test. One young lady raised her hand. She had missed close to two of the first six weeks of school. More than any other student I have. Her score on the test-90. The highest of the AP group. What the hell am I doing?

It is beyond depressing when the kid who spent the least amount of time in your classroom can do better then everyone else on what has become by far the most important aspect of education--THE TEST. I spend a huge amount of my time preparing students for THE TEST and they continue to fail in unbelievable numbers. I watch my students eyes glaze over as we discuss strategies to write better answers on ORQs by using SREs to raise our scores on the CATS so we can meet our goals for NCLB, and I wish for their sake and mine I could be doing something else, anything else.

And coming up in the next few weeks I am sure will be countless meetings called to figure out what to do about this. I have no idea. Everything they have asked me to try. I have tried. But we aren't getting anywhere. And the whole system just makes less and less sense to me. Here is my biggest complaint. Why am I giving these kids grades? I give each child an A, B, C, D or U based on their knowledge of my subject and effort in my class. As the teacher I am assessing whether they know the material to a satisfactory level. So why after I give a kid a U because they won't pay attention, stay awake, or do their work to learn the material, does the state give them a test to assess whether they have learned the material so they can grade our school. What? He is novice at Social Studies--I think I told you that already when his report card said U because he didn't bother to learn in my class.

I know it is my job to get them to succeed, but have you ever tried getting a 17 year old to do something they think is useless? Frustrating. So what are we teaching them? In my room it appears we are learning you can come to work everyday prepared, enthusiastic, and with certain goals in mind and still at the end of the day be labeled a miserable failure. A tough lesson for them and me but maybe one we all need to know. In the meantime it appears we may be inadvertently achieving our goal. Could it be the easiest way to not leave any child behind is to never go anywhere?

BO KNOWS Back to You probably drops off my list after week two. The actors and the news background brought me in but the focus on the one night stand between the characters has lost me. Also I really wanted to like Journeyman but I wasn't feeling it. I will give it one more chance.

BO KNOWS Grey's Anatomy may be sentimental fluff but when it is working it is really well written, well acted sentimental fluff. When the story stays away from Meredith's personal life the show is actually enjoyable. Here is hoping that last scene Thursday doesn't drag us back to endless episodes about Meredith's indefensible poor choices.

FOOTBALL SUNDAY

Bo goes 4-1 last week for a strong showing and a record of 8-6 on the season. Week 4 here we come.

BO KNOWS The Bitches are 3-0 and LT has still to really play an LT type game in fantasy numbers. This is the week he breaks out. That combined with the Giants D playing a rivalry game for pride on Sunday night. (lowering the effect of McNabb and Westbrook) will lead to a Bitches 4-0 start.

BO KNOWS someone has to win the 0-3 battle between the James Gang and the IPS Allstars. Bye weeks and injuries have led the Gang to replace its weak line-up with its even weaker bench so we can all congratulate the All stars on their first win of the season and I will now put my head in the oven.

BO KNOWS It is a huge game between the 2-1 Griz and the 3-0 Juice. There is a big difference between 3-1 and 2-2. You would think it may be the week to get The Juice with a Leonard and one armed Alexander backfield, but Favre will continue his excellence and Harrison will finally put up numbers today to match Owens and The Juice will be 4-0.

BO KNOWS The Eye of the Tiger has 5 players in the line-up in the top 10 at their position and two more within the top 15 but 0 wins. That kind of bad luck can not continue. Tigers get it done today.

BO KNOWS he can not believe Romo and the Vikings are ranked first at their positions. But add that to the resurgence of Edgerrin James and the big game potential of Driver and Wayne and the Bs win.

Oh just in case the Gang does the impossible today and message for the IPS Allstars--Enjoy week 4